The Adventures of Little Ivy
by YulianaHenderson
Summary: "Teresa Lisbon loved sleeping next to Patrick Jane, often simply looking at him long after he had fallen asleep, just to admire his beauty, and perhaps even his innocence in sleep - it was difficult for him to make people's lives hard while he was contently catching some z's." Canon Jisbon, with a Jisbon baby playing a big role, too. Rated K plus to be safe.
1. Little Ivy and Big Bear

**A/N: Okay, so this story is just a shitload of fluff, just because I was feeling like it. I don't have much to explain, you should just read it!**

 **Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.**

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 _ **'Little Ivy and Big Bear'**_

Teresa Lisbon loved sleeping next to Patrick Jane. She had always thought that it would be some other, random woman who got this honor, who got to kiss him and hold him at night, but she was reminded on a daily basis that it had turned out to be her.

And she enjoyed it thoroughly, often simply looking at him long after he had fallen asleep, just to admire his beauty, and perhaps even his innocence in sleep - it was difficult for him to make people's lives hard while he was contently catching some z's.

She knew he did the same thing when she was asleep, admiring her even if she had trouble imagining why he could admire her so much. But she knew he did - it was visible in everything he did, from the moment he woke up to the moment they fell asleep in each other's arms.

She heard some familiar sounds coming from the hallway, and she sat up slowly, not wanting to wake Jane. She got out of bed and opened the door, only to be met by sleepy yet frightened eyes, a whole mess of dark curls and tears. It was not an unusual sight, as this had happened before, but it still broke Lisbon's heart time and time again.

"Mummy," the little girl whimpered, new tears escaping her eyes.

Lisbon lowered herself to the girl's eye-level and put a careful hand on her arm.

"Hey Ivy, sweetie," Lisbon whispered, "what is wrong?"

Ivy shook her head and stepped into Lisbon's arms, her head instantly resting on Lisbon's shoulder. It was obvious to Lisbon that she didn't want to talk about what was bothering her, but Lisbon knew it was most likely a bad dream.

She picked up Ivy, feeling how she got calmer already in her mother's protective arms, still crying however, and went back to her and Jane's bed. Jane had gotten wind of what was happening, too, having woken up and looking at them getting into bed.

Jane took Ivy from her while she settled in, and Ivy cried softly against her father's shoulder, her hands clutching the shirt of his pajamas.

"Did you have a bad dream again, Ivy?" Jane asked, his voice soft and gentle, his hands stroking her hair and back. Lisbon looked at him comforting their child, so familiar yet still so surreal. She could never have imagined that this could be her life, that she could have this small taste of domestic bliss with this man. She had always felt like he was unable to love again, like his human feelings and emotions had been torn out of him years ago, only to be replaced by guilt, anger and grief. But he had shown her over the course of a few years that he could be exactly what she needed in life, a companion, a sweet husband and a good father to her child.

She was eternally grateful for him opening his heart like that, for allowing her to pour in her soul. She knew she couldn't fix him, he had had months of therapy trying to get over his traumatic life, but she also knew that her patience and love had given him a goal in life, had allowed him to soldier on.

"Do you want to talk about your nightmare?"

"It was the one with the man with the burps," she whispered, her tears still rolling freely but her sobs had somewhat subsided, causing her to be able to breathe properly again.

"It's okay to be scared," he whispered. "Okay? It was just a bad dream. And everything you dream of, can't hurt you."

Ivy nodded, rubbing her eyes. Tears spilled onto her hands, getting them everywhere.

"Is there anything we can do to help make the nightmares go away?"

She shook her head. "Can I stay in your arms a little longer, daddy?"

Jane's eyes softened even more than they did before, and his arms closed around her, snuggling her close. "Of course you can, little bear."

Any other woman would maybe feel jealous if her little ones would prefer her partner's hugs, but Lisbon totally agreed with Ivy - Patrick Jane's hugs were the best hugs that ever existed, he made you feel like he could shield the entire world from you, protecting you against everything you ever feared and hated. If anything, she sometimes felt jealous that she couldn't be in his arms when Ivy was. Their hugs looked so snug and comfortable.

He looked at her from over their daughter's head, and he smiled, that perfect smile that usually tickled her tear ducts, that made her fall in love with him again and again.

Jane gasped, and it got both Ivy and Lisbon's attention.

"I know the perfect thing," he stated. "Mummy will make sure there isn't any mean Mr. McBurp in your room, and when she comes back, you can be a big girl and sleep in your own bed again. Can you do that?"

Ivy hesitated, thinking over his plan, then nodded, albeit hesitantly. Lisbon smiled and got up, walking into Ivy's bedroom and pretending to check, knowing Ivy and Jane could walk in any moment, and just as she lay on the floor checking the space underneath her bed, the two entered the room.

"It's okay, Mummy," Ivy stated, her voice still somewhat small, but Lisbon could tell that she would try to sleep again. "I can do this."

"I know you can. Give me a big hug."

They tucked her in, giving her the last bit of strength she needed, and soon, they were back in their bed.

Jane always pretended like nothing had happened, like he hadn't been incredibly sweet to their little girl, even if she knew that it should be normal, everyday stuff.

He smiled at her as he pulled her close.

"I love you," he whispered. "And I love Ivy. Loving her… comes naturally. Before she was born, I'd never thought I could love her this much. I still… thought of… Charlotte, often. But… the moment she was born, the moment you gave birth to her… it was the best moment of the past countless of years, since losing them. I still can't believe that she exists, that she's here. I thought that maybe, because of me putting off telling you how I felt about you, that we would never be able to have kids… this way. But… it's a miracle. The best miracle I have ever witnessed."

"She is, isn't she?"

She remembered the four years the little girl had spent on the surface of this earth so far, the years having flown by, but still she remained Lisbon's baby, would always stay that for as long as they both lived.

"Hey, let's not be so deep and stuff this late at night." She brushed his cheek. "We might end up crying for hours."

He chuckled and nodded, taking a few breaths, his upcoming tears already forgotten.

He kissed her lips, drawing her close to his body, and even after all these years, she still fell in love with him anew from time to time. She couldn't help it. She was the luckiest human being alive to be sleeping next to Patrick Jane. The Big Bear, as Ivy sometimes called him, simply because one of Jane's favorite nicknames for her was 'little bear'. Big Bear tucking in Lisbon and Ivy, too, making sure they were well fed, well rested, well loved.

She couldn't be happier.

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 **A/N: I'm thinking of making this a series, but I'm not sure what more I can write about. Do you have any ideas, anything you want to see? Let me know please, I enjoy writing these fluffy fics for y'all and it would be my pleasure to continue to write them for you!**


	2. Little Ivy at Bedtime

**A/N: So it took me longer than expected to finally publish this, and even now I'm getting the shivers. I really like the Ivy that I have established, but I hope you'll like her, too. In any case, this is the continuation of Little Ivy and Big Bear, which is obviously why I'm publishing this as another chapter after that story. I have a couple more in store, if you'll accept.**

 **Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.**

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 ** _'Little Ivy at Bedtime'_**

It didn't matter how long his current living condition lasted - it had been going on for years, and he still couldn't get enough of it. Couldn't get enough of looking at Teresa Lisbon every second of every day, whenever he could, couldn't get enough of kissing her, hugging her close to his heart, touching her pretty face and brushing her hair. He also couldn't get enough of hugging their daughter, admiring how much she looked like her mother, with her long, dark hair, her deep emerald colored eyes and her big heart. She could make his day with just a simple smile, so she did on a regular basis, having him wrapped around her little finger from the day she was born.

Lisbon had gone up to put their little girl to bed, while Jane prepared a kettle for their nightly tea. He loved how he had totally changed Lisbon's mind on her beverages - she had never been able to stop drinking coffee before they had gotten together, but she had enjoyed just sitting next to him drinking tea together while slowly moving in with him. When they had found out that she was pregnant, she had stopped drinking coffee altogether, and he had never seen her pick up the beverage after that. It had helped with her sleeping pattern, too - she was out like a light, whereas before, she was prone to worrying until she would stay up all night.

Of course, she would often wake him to satisfy her insatiable need to kiss him, but he couldn't blame her. After all, he was probably way worse than she was when it came to that matter.

After a couple of minutes, he heard small feet coming towards him, and he started smiling, getting up to turn the kettle on and maybe kiss his beautiful wife, if she would let him. He was surprised, however, to find his five-year-old daughter at the bottom of the stairs, rather than his wife.

"Ivy?"

"Mummy is sleeping, Daddy, so we can watch TV."

He was confused. What had happened here? Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around, this little girl sleeping soundly in her bed and her mother in his arms on the couch, kissing him to sleep?

"What did you do?" he asked her cautiously, because despite her being an angel most of the time, she could be a little naughty, too.

"I didn't do anything, I swear. I was talking to Mummy and suddenly she was asleep!"

He didn't believe a single world of it, but he also didn't know what she could have done to have triggered this situation, so she must be telling a form of the truth. He grabbed her hand and together they went upstairs.

"I'm just going to check on Mummy, okay?"

Stepping into Ivy's bedroom, he found all the lights switched off except for Ivy's night light, and Lisbon fast asleep in Ivy's little princess bed. A smile spread across his face, even though he was wondering how this had happened, still. Usually, she wouldn't sleep until she could at least witness that Ivy was asleep, so to think that she fell asleep way before Ivy did… she must have been tired, but Jane didn't know from what.

He knelt beside the bed with Ivy standing right beside him.

"Teresa?" he whispered, tracing her face. She reacted like she always did, scrunching her nose, wiggling her brows, but she didn't open her eyes, didn't respond in any other way.  
"I'm going to carry Mummy to bed, meanwhile, I want you to get in yours, alright?"

He put his arms underneath Teresa, feeling her move a little at the sudden displacement, but she still didn't wake. Why was she so tired? What had she done to exhaust herself like this?

He carefully placed her in their bed, kissing her forehead, her cheek and lips before tucking her in and stepping away, turning off the light. He returned to Ivy, who was obediently already in her bed, the covers pulled up all the way to her chin.

"Will Mummy be okay?"

"Of course she will be, Ivy. When has anything ever brought Mummy down?"

"That's true." A smile appeared on her lips, as she thought of her fierce and strong mother, who in her eyes could probably fight an entire army full of bad guys and monsters and still be home in time for dinner.

"She's just tired, don't you worry your little head about it. You get tired sometimes too, don't you?"

She nodded in response.  
"Well, so does Mummy. We should just let her sleep, and we'll see her tomorrow again, well-rested and ready to fight off anybody who could even _think_ of hurting us."

Ivy nodded and smiled even brighter. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, tucking her in properly, and much like her mother, she was out light a light, already snoring softly in that adorable way only Ivy could by the time he reached the door.

He returned to Teresa to check up on her, finding her still asleep, and decided to give her this little time to rest, considering she needed it. He would inquire why she was so tired tomorrow, but until then, he would take great satisfaction in watching her sleep.

It turned out, as she had explained the next day, that she had seen a documentary about kidnappings across the country, and she had stayed up all night the day before to watch over Ivy and make sure that she was still there. She knew it was irrational, but she couldn't sleep anyway.

Oh, she loved Ivy so much. And it made him proud to be able to witness that love every single day, by her side.

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 **A/N: There you go! Lot more in store if you want to read it, like four chapters or something, all from a different year in her life. Some focus more on her, others focus more on Jane and Lisbon. Anyway, let me know!**


	3. Little Ivy and Cinderella Castle

**A/N: Thanks so much for your positive input! Here's the next chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.**

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 _ **'Little Ivy and Cinderella Castle'**_

Ivy always behaved like a little angel, helping out her parents wherever she could, saying 'please' and 'thank you' and 'I'm sorry'. She knew how to address her elders, or any grownup for that matter, and she always helped set the dining table and clean it up afterwards.

Lisbon knew Ivy's good manners came from her, but Ivy's father wasn't such a poorly mannered, arrogant and rude man anymore, not since they had gotten together. He was a right gentleman, so Lisbon guessed Ivy got some aspects from him, too.

No - she had gotten a lot from him, actually. Because even though Jane was a gentleman, he still got what he wanted, even if it meant breaking a few little laws here and there. Not that Ivy broke any laws, but quite understandably, she saw the limits and tried to pass them. Like any kid would do.

But most of all, she was a good girl. Her mother's little angel, so sweet, caring and compassionate.

That was why, to celebrate her sixth birthday, they went to Disney World. Just the three of them, to enjoy that infamous domestic bliss that Lisbon loved so much. She and Jane decided not to tell her too soon, because she might just forget, or excite herself so much that she could hardly sleep. That was why they packed the most important things and got on a plane, without telling Ivy where they were going to, even if Lisbon knew she would have read their destination on the screens at the airport. Their child was advanced when compared to other kids her age. She had no trouble reading age-appropriate books and texts, and math was a breeze for her.

"What is in Orlando, Mummy?" Ivy asked while they settled in their seats, a parent on each side of her. Jane had put her Finding Dory suitcase beneath Ivy's feet, which were dangling way above the floor. She might get her height from her mother.

"Why don't you guess, Ivy?"

"I'm bad with guessing, though." She paused for a moment, looking at her father, then her mother. She sighed. "It's prolly a museum or something."

"Would you like to go to a museum?" Jane asked her. Ivy once again thought of that option, then shrugged.

"If you want to go to a museum, I also want to go to a museum."

Lisbon smiled and wrapped an arm around the little girl, who settled against her arm, smiling just as broadly as Lisbon was, no doubt.

Maybe it had escaped Ivy's attention that, once arriving at the airport, they saw multiple little kids with Disney themed outfits and accessories, or maybe she thought it was rude to ask. Perhaps she genuinely thought that they were going to a museum. Lisbon was amused by that thought a little - would they fly for hours halfway across the country to visit a boring museum?

But Ivy was getting a little suspicious, and she grabbed Jane's hand tightly as they exited the airport. She looked up at him, something akin to fear and uncertainty in her eyes.

"Where are we going?"

"Take a wild guess, Ivy. What is it you would want to go to most of all? If you could go anywhere?"

"A Build-a-Bear."

That caused her parents to laugh, and she laughed too, although it was obvious that she was getting curious now.

"What more?"

Ivy shrugged. "Why can't you just tell me?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Jane asked her. Ivy sighed but nodded.

"I understand." She remained silent for a few minutes, thinking about the possible destination of their trip, all the while they continued walking, until they could pick up their luggage - only one big and one small suitcase, because none of them had a lot of stuff they wanted to take with them.

"Oh, Ivy, I almost forgot. You need this." Jane reached into the big suitcase and got out something, wrapped all the way in plastic, and Ivy raised an eyebrow while looking at the item. Jane didn't leave any time for her to open it, instead they continued their way down the endless corridors of the airport, until they arrived in a big lobby with lots of kids and lots of hints for Ivy to determine their destination.

She pulled on Lisbon's hand, making her look down at the little girl.  
"Mummy? Why does it show Mickey's face everywhere?"

"Why do you think?"

"I don't know."

Ivy kept walking, pulling her mother with her, and they arrived at a desk, where Ivy got the attention of one of the people standing behind it.  
"Hello young Miss, how are you doing?"

"Where am I going, Sir?"

He frowned, but then smiled and pointed at the big letters on the wall behind him; 'Disney's Magical Express'.

"Why, you're going to Disney World, of course!"

And Ivy's world just lit up, all of the hints and bits and pieces falling together, and Lisbon could tell she was maybe even a little emotional, as she stepped towards her mother and wrapped her arms around Lisbon's waist.

"Thank you," Ivy cried eventually, and Lisbon lowered herself to the ground so she could wrap her arms around Ivy, too.

"You're welcome, Ivy. You deserve it, because you're doing so well at school, and we're so proud of you."

Jane joined them. "Also, I really wanted to go, so it wasn't difficult to convince Mummy."

"Now cheer up, we have a long day ahead of us so we better start now."

Jane wiped Ivy's tears off her cheeks, and the girl didn't hesitate to kiss both her parents almost a million times, before she returned to the nice man who had welcomed her.

Lisbon looked at Jane briefly, who was smiling at her, too.

"You thought I would regret it," she started, "but I don't. Not a minute."

He shook his head. "I know."

Of course he did. He kissed her lips briefly before they joined their daughter at the check-in desk, caught up in an enthusiastic banter/conversation with the man from before.

"Well Ivy, welcome to Disney World!"

~...~

The entire trip from the airport to the hotel, she was freaking out so much, talking about all the characters she wanted to meet, which places she wanted to go, that by the end of the bus ride, she sighed in obvious exhaustion. If she would continue this, she would never have enough energy to stroll through the park for an entire week.

"We gotta get her to calm down," Jane stated after they had settled into their room. It looked quite awesome, even to an adult, so it was no surprise to Lisbon that Ivy was running around the room, proclaiming how much she loved this room and the park and her parents.

"I agree." Their eyes met. "Tea?"

He smiled at her, taking her hand and leading her to the small table in the middle of the dining room. "That's the magic word."

They sat on the couch together, each of them enjoying a cup of ginger tea, while Ivy went over the little Disney themed gifts she had received from both her parents and from her lovely Aunts Grace and Kim and her Uncles Kimball, Wayne, Dennis and Jason. All of them had wanted to give her something, seeing as she often created the prettiest drawings for them. Especially her Grandpa Virgil couldn't stop himself from buying all sorts of accessories she really didn't need, but that was what grandparents were for, right?

"I really need to see Flynn Ryder, it's really important," she stated. She looked as serious as she could be. "And Belle. And Gaston. And Rapunzel."

"So basically everybody?"

She nodded. "Hm-hm. And I _have_ to see Cinderella's Castle."

"We'll do that, Ivy. It's your week. Oh, but sweetie?"

Ivy brushed a curl out of her face and put on a toy crown she had received from, most likely, Grandpa Virgil. It was Rapunzel's crown, Lisbon knew that, as Ivy had watched that movie so many times that Lisbon could dream every single line.

"One thing: let's promise that we take a break sometimes, okay? Because we can't always keep up with you, and we don't want to lose you."

Ivy nodded, a big smile on her face. "I promise I'll stay close. I love you so much."

"And we love you, sweet Ivy."

~...~

As soon as they stepped into the park, Lisbon wished they had put Ivy on a leash. It was a good thing that Jane had a firm hold on her hand, otherwise they would have definitely lost her.

Ivy was in awe by everything she saw, every little light, flower, color, it was obvious she was quickly getting overstimulated by it all. By the time they arrived at the eyecatcher of the park, Cinderella's Castle, Ivy stuck to Lisbon's side all of a sudden, almost shying away, as it were.

"Oh my goodness," she whispered. She took her time taking in all of it, brushing her hair out of her face from time to time. She might be advanced for her age, sometimes keeping up appearances that she might be older, but she was still six years old, and she was still just a little kid.

"Can we live in a castle?"

"Would you want that?"

She thought of that question, but shook her head eventually. "I would prolly have to clean up more toys."

They continued their way past numerous landmarks, most of the time stopping to take in the view, take a picture or have a quick sip of water. It was a hot day, probably the warmest they would encounter during their stay here, so they had to drink properly.

When they stopped for ice cream and sat down, Ivy got a little fussy when Jane tried to help her with her strawberry fruit bar.

"I want to do it myself, Daddy," she whined, looking at him with disappointed eyes as he once again licked the bottom of the popsicle. Lisbon knew it was to prevent Ivy's clothes from being stained, but the little girl possibly didn't see it like that.

"I know, Ivy, but otherwise your clothes might get dirty."

She shook her head. "I know what I'm doing."

They sat in silence, Jane keeping an eye on the popsicle, but surprisingly enough, she did manage, although some drops did fall down but on the ground instead of her clothes. She even bent forward to prevent anything from touching her dress.

Halfway through her popsicle, she was looking at something that had obviously gotten her deepest attention, and it caused Jane to step in to control the leaking of her ice cream. Lisbon looked at what Ivy was looking at, too - a little boy who had dropped his own cone, crying in disappointment at the loss of his precious ice cream. To top it all off, the mother of the little boy was angry at him for having dropped it, proclaiming that he would not get a new one.

Ivy looked at Lisbon with a look that told Lisbon she was planning something. The girl took a few quick bites of her popsicle, finishing it in nearly one go, then stepped to Lisbon with a specific glint in her eyes, although Lisbon couldn't identify it yet.

"Mummy, did you bring my pocket money?"

"Of course, why are you asking?"

Ivy stepped closer, and Lisbon spread her legs a little so the girl could stand between them.

"I want to buy ice cream for that boy."

Lisbon smiled and brushed some stray curls out of Ivy's face.

"That's very sweet of you, Ivy." Lisbon was not going to argue with her, even if she knew Ivy could later possibly regret spending her precious money on something so arbitrary, but Ivy had her mind set on it so there was really no way of getting that out of her head.

As Ivy walked over to the family, offering four one dollar bills to the little boy, the mother's mood softened and she knelt down beside Ivy. Any conversation was impossible to be heard from Lisbon's distance, but as she looked at the scene, she felt so incredibly proud of her little girl, she had hardly enough words to explain it. How could this little girl be Lisbon's daughter, Lisbon, who claimed to live for other's well-being, but repeatedly acted pretty selfishly. Lisbon, who had hurt the man who currently came to sit down beside her on an average basis, and even though it was often not intended that way, she had seen the pain in his eyes often as she had once again pulled away from him, long before they had gotten together.

"We raised her well," Jane said, kissing her cheek, and Lisbon smiled.

"That we did. Although, I think a big part of this is also just her big heart." There was nothing they could teach her about being this kind, this was all hers.

"She's going to regret spending her pocket money like this," Lisbon said, causing Jane to nod.

"That's why I'll be chipping in when she's short."

Lisbon smiled and kissed his cheek in return. "The entire concept of her pocket money will be lost, though."

He nodded, but shrugged. "She is just six. She has enough time to learn how to deal with money. Right now, she learns the importance of being kind to her peers. If she's kind, she will be rewarded."

At that exact moment, Ivy joined them again with a big smile on her face, her eyes sparkling and her excitement having been refueled. She hugged her mother, who was smiling from ear to ear, and kissed her father's cheek.

"Let's go," Ivy said, grabbing their hands, "before more kids start dropping their ice cream."

~...~

By the end of their stay, Ivy had seen all the characters she wanted, took all the necessary pictures, had had so much candy that Lisbon knew the girl would have a permanent belly ache for at least a week, but it was worth it. Because for a week, she had seen her little girl with the brightest smile ever, obviously making a fuss sometimes as well, she was not perfect. Yet it was so worth it to have their well-deserved family time, even if it meant all three of them were exhausted by the end of it.

Both Jane and Ivy had fallen asleep against Lisbon, both occupying one shoulder, and she couldn't help but look at her little family with pride. She had never expected that she would ever be in this position, to have such an amazing husband and a wonderful daughter, and that they would love each other and her so deeply.

She had never been one of these girls who would plan her entire future, every tiny detail like her wedding dress, what her husband should look like and what names her children would get. She had been forced to believe at a young age that love was toxic, because her father had turned into something evil when her mother had passed away. She had promised herself that she would never love someone, not romantically anyway, and it had worked out quite well until Patrick Jane had walked into her life. Everything had changed.

"Stop thinking so much," Jane moaned, and she looked down at him, startled out of her thoughts. "It's hurting my brain."

She rolled her eyes. "I was just thinking how horrible my life could have been if you weren't in it."

He was silent for a while, and she thought that he might have fallen asleep again, but then he looked up at her, making sure Ivy didn't wake from his movements.

"I have thoughts like that too, sometimes. What if I had never met you? I… I think I would probably be dead. I know it's a depressing thought… but the only reason I held on after, _him_ , was the prospect that one day, I would see you again, void of my grief and terror. And yet still… I thought about… doing it. To grant you a better life, even if I wanted it to be with me. I'm glad though, that I held on. I would never want anything in our lives together to change."

She brushed his hair with her free hand, looking at his eyes closing in what she knew was bliss, before looking over at Ivy, who was still peacefully asleep. Lisbon knew that if Ivy would overhear this conversation, she would worry - therefore, Lisbon hoped that the girl was actually asleep and not just pretending.

"I love you, too," she whispered to Jane, who opened his eyes to once again look at her. He smiled, before he once again succumbed to sleep.

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 **A/N: I didn't mean to make Ivy such a perfect child, but just believe me when I say that she is probably naughty a lot of the time, but it's just less fun to write her all fussy and cranky. Anyway, thanks for reading!**


	4. Little Ivy and the Stray Dog

**A/N: Thanks so much once again for the sweet reviews! They're very much appreciated! Be warned: there are some mentions of death in this chapter, but I've tried to keep it lighthearted. You know how it is with kids, always asking questions about inappropriate things.**

 **Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.**

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 ** _'Little Ivy and the Stray Dog'_**

Lisbon was glad that Jane had purchased such a big area of land, because it allowed them all the space they needed, all the air they had never gotten in Sacramento or Austin. They could do with their house what they wanted, expand it, renovate it over and over again, if they wanted. They got their own kitchen garden, growing their own vegetables and fruits, and she had discovered his hidden flower garden a few months after they had moved in, from where he had gotten her the most exotic flowers that could grow in this environment. She wouldn't tell him that she had found it, would allow him to bask in this little secret that he had, but she loved him even more for it.

After their daughter had been born, Lisbon had come to appreciate the big open space even more. They weren't surrounded by any nearby neighbors, so little Ivy was never woken up by impromptu parties or blaring ambulance sirens, and as she was growing up, she learned how to climb trees and fall down them, too. She learned how to swim

from a very young age, having her very own pond to teach her everything she needed, and she loved to help in their garden, watering the vegetables, getting rid of the weeds and whispering words of love into every single plant.

Lisbon had learned not to be worried if Ivy would be gone for an entire afternoon after coming home from school, because she would always be in the woods around their little cabin, climbing the highest tree or working on her very own treehouse. She pretended that nobody else knew about it, but of course Lisbon had found it. It reminded her that this was their daughter, Patrick Jane and Teresa Lisbon's, and she looked so much like him, Lisbon was sometimes speechless. Every time Ivy would complain something didn't quite work out as she wanted it concerning her treehouse, Jane would go up there when Ivy was fast asleep and fix it, and nothing more, so that the next day, Ivy would be amazed and confused by the fact that her problem had been miraculously solved. She never questioned it.

Lisbon had to admit - she had grown up in urban Chicago, always surrounded by sounds and movement, but living here, in this quiet, green part of the county, made her feel most at home.

She heard her husband come home with their daughter straight behind him, babbling about their day so far, their hands entwined. He was carrying all of her bags, like the proper gentleman he was, not complaining a little.

The only moment when Ivy's curls could truly be tamed was when she went to her ballet classes, when her father put in enough willpower to add just about enough hair gel to pull everything back, and use enough bobby pins to keep the ends inside her bun. It was a task Lisbon didn't have enough patience for, but Jane loved doing it, talking to their little girl about whatever it was that kept her busy, while he combed her dark curls to slick perfection. She always ended up looking like a million bucks, but she always did in Lisbon's eyes.

Stepping inside, both of them gave her her much appreciated kisses, Jane on her lips and Ivy on her cheek, before Lisbon urged her to get changed, knowing that her pale blue leotard would definitely get dirty beyond repair if she went about her daily actions with it.

She kept rambling about her day, even while she got changed and Lisbon freed her curls, and Lisbon loved listening to her stories, always sounding like little adventures that could have very well taken place in a kid's book.

When she was wearing her appropriate adventuring outfit, just a standard old shirt and jeans, she hugged Lisbon tightly.

"I love you, Mummy," she whispered, smiling against her cheek, and it were moments like these that Lisbon wanted to frame, so she could put them on the wall and look at them anytime she wanted. Yet the fact was that this was an everyday occurrence, having this sweet girl in her arms and in her life like this, and it still amazed Lisbon often.

"I love you too, sweetie. Now go on, go play outside! I will come and get you when dinner's done."

Ivy ran out as soon as Lisbon had finished that sentence, and Lisbon could only barely make out Ivy hugging her father on the way out, and then it was quiet again in their little cabin.

Lisbon had heard from a lot of mothers that they knew exactly what their little one would be when they were grown-ups - some would probably be a lawyer, others a pilot or a flight attendant. Lisbon was not afraid to admit that she had no idea what Ivy wanted to do, because it could change with the weather. One moment she would want to be a ballerina, the next she would have seen a documentary about space at school and she would obviously want to become an astronaut. And it was okay. She was only six, after all, she had her entire life ahead of her. Lisbon had no intention of pushing her daughter to have her entire life planned out while she was still only barely in school.

Jane handed her a cup of tea and she smiled at him, kissing his lips and sitting down together.

"Thank you for the tea."

"You're welcome."

And they settled in for a quiet afternoon, until Jane got too giddy and started working on a hundred things at once.

Jane and Lisbon were cooking together that evening, stealing some kisses from time to time, something they hadn't been able to do often these past few weeks. A particularly complicated case at work had forced Lisbon to be apart from them more, but that had been solved with one brief visit from Jane, who didn't even work there anymore. He had solved the case in minutes, like old times.

Suddenly, they heard a door slam open, and Lisbon was about to tell Ivy that she shouldn't slam the doors, when the girl entered the kitchen, looking very much distraught.

"What happened?"

Ivy couldn't say anything, just grabbed her hand and pulled her outside with her. Jane had obviously gotten wind of what was happening, too, and he turned off the stove and joined them, his natural curiosity always getting the better of him.

They walked through the thick bushes around their cabin, ducking to avoid low hanging branches, until they reached a small, open clearing. Ivy immediately dove to the ground, and it took both Lisbon and Jane a few seconds to realize what Ivy had found - a big yet skinny dog, lying on its side, its eyes closed.

"It's a dog," Jane stated matter-of-factly, but Lisbon could tell that he was worried, too, as well as curious. "Is it dead?"

Ivy glared at him for phrasing it in such an inconsiderate way, but they were probably all thinking the same thing. At the last moment, Lisbon stopped her.

"Wait, don't touch it. Maybe it will make you sick."

Jane touched it, instead, and after a close examination and his typical sniffing, he touched the dog's neck and abruptly got up.

"There's a heartbeat, but it's faint. We have to get it help, now. It has a collar, so it's probably vaccinated. I will get a blanket and some water, you stay with it."

A few minutes later, Jane had wrapped the dog in the blanket, feeling some more movement now that it was being displaced, and it started kicking its legs a little, protesting.

"It's okay," Ivy whispered to the dog, stopping Jane in his tracks.

"Be careful, Ivy, it might bite because it's in pain."

She nodded and got an extra towel, wrapping it around her hand to protect it. She gently brushed the dog's head, calming it down enough so Jane could take it to their car. All the way to their closest vet, Ivy kept a close watch on the dog, slowly gaining its trust until Lisbon judged that it was safe for her to touch the dog without the towel.

This was not how Lisbon had imagined their evening to turn out, but she guessed they were going with it now.

As soon as they arrived at the practice and the staff inside saw how dire the situation was, the poor dog was whisked away, leaving the three of them in the waiting area with the receptionist telling them she would try to give them updates.

Ivy fell into Lisbon's arms crying, sobbing for this dog she had just met, but the condition that they had found it in predicted nothing really good. It would probably be a miracle if the dog would make it, and Ivy was far from stupid - Lisbon knew that the girl could tell, too.

Jane had gone to get them some food while Ivy settled into Lisbon's side, anxious but also tired, and it wasn't difficult to tell. By the time Jane returned with a bag full of food, Ivy was just barely awake, her eyelids falling shut every once in awhile.

"Any update?" Jane asked, sitting down beside them and putting the bag on the coffee table in front of them. Lisbon shook her head, ultimately waking up Ivy completely.

The receptionist came over to them, her face full with slight annoyance - Lisbon was sure it had been her own face for about twenty years due to her acquaintance with Patrick Jane.

"I'm sorry, but you can't eat here in the waiting room."

"Okay, so is there somewhere we can eat?" Jane asked her, his voice calm but firm, obviously not going to take no for an answer. He looked at Ivy who rubbed her eyes. "We have a little kid who needs to eat, I'm sure you'll understand."

The woman thought of his words, sighed and stepped out, only to come back moments later.

"You can eat in our kitchen. But any mess you make, you have to clean up yourself. And you're not allowed to leave the room without my supervision."

Jane nodded, and they moved to the kitchen where they ate their Chinese take out, not what Lisbon had had in mind once again, but it would have to do.

They recapped what had happened so far, and Ivy had even given the dog a name - considering it was a male, something Jane had pointed out on their way to the vet, she had called him Hercules.

Ivy settled into Jane's side when they finished eating, falling asleep almost immediately once again. Must be one hell of a day, but it did fall perfectly in line with all other stories she often told Lisbon, of her tiny adventures in their 'forest', only this one was thrice as exciting, and tiring, as all the others.

"She needs to go to bed," Lisbon whispered, looking at Jane, who was softly brushing Ivy's hair. He nodded.

"You two go home. I'll wait until they know something."

"Are you insane? That could take days."

"You know Ivy won't sleep otherwise."

"Of course I do. But… we should just go home. All of us. We will leave our phone number and they can call us when they have news."

She got up and stood in front of him, brushing his cheeks. "Come home with me, Patrick. We can sleep, and we'll know more in the morning. Hercules is in capable hands, we can leave him here for the night. We'll check up on him first thing in the morning. He'll be okay, alright? We're not abandoning him."

He sighed and looked down at Ivy. He gave in eventually, but Lisbon guessed it was only because she had asked him, quite nicely she might ask, that he come with her. He couldn't undermine her direct orders, even if they were less like orders these days, and more like requests.

First thing she noticed when she woke up the next morning was Jane already on the phone, and she needn't ask him who was on the other side.

He was sitting on the steps leading up to the porch, looking over their pond. She sat down beside him and wrapped an arm around his waist, leaning her head on his shoulder.

She let him finish his conversation, not necessarily paying much attention to it, more to the lovely view - which was him, and always would be him.

He finished and put his phone down, sighing and remaining quiet for a while.

"They finished surgery about an hour ago. He's stable."

She kissed what she could of his biceps, squeezing his waist.

"That's good news."

He nodded and looked at her, and she could read him like a children's book, like she knew he had been able to read her all these years.

"Are you okay?" she asked him, her voice as soft as it could possibly be.

He shook his head. "No. But I will be. Just give me a minute."

She nodded and sat up straight so she could kiss his cheek. He turned his head and kissed her lips, instead.

"It just… hit a little too close to home. The metaphor, I mean, I guess. An individual, left all alone to die… I just had to make sure he was okay. I know it's… stupid. But he was abandoned by everyone he possibly loved. I just… had to do something."

Of course she understood. How could she not? This sad little dog had reminded him of himself, and he had wanted someone to help him in that situation. He was not left alone on purpose, not by his loved ones, but he was left alone nonetheless.

With Jane, everything had so much more meaning, both positively and negatively. He could make watering the plants about his repressed feelings for her all these years, and it made everything more real for her. He was real, not the mask he had so often showed her, void of any emotion except for grief. He was a real man, a real, loving human being, who had chosen to be with her despite everything that had happened during their acquaintance, and even before.

He startled her out of her thoughts by kissing her, both his hands cupping her cheeks. She could feel him smile, could make out the telltale curve of his lips, and it probably would have made her knees weak if she had been standing. She was so in love with him, still, after all these years. She was so comfortable with him, living with him, loving him.

"We can check up on him in the afternoon."

"Who?"

He chuckled. "Hercules."

"Oh, right." She kissed him again, just because she could, then got up. She noticed that he did too, eventually, but it took him a few seconds.

"Let me pamper you, for worrying so much." She chuckled when he smiled. "You get our daughter and bring her to our bed. I'll serve you two breakfast."

"In bed?"

She nodded.

"That's fancy. I won't let that opportunity pass me by."

Of course all Ivy could think of was the dog they had, hopefully, collectively saved the day before, but she had school today, so after their family breakfast in bed, they had to rush to get her dressed, her hair tamed and for her to catch her bus to school. Eventually, Lisbon had to accompany the girl, both running as fast as they could, while Lisbon held Ivy's school bag and Ivy held the intricate design that was her hairdo straight against her head. Just as they arrived at the usual spot, the bus arrived, and Lisbon sighed in relief.

"You could just drop me off at school," Ivy stated, walking towards the bus. Lisbon shook her head.

"I don't want to take away the awesome experience that are school buses. Now go, and don't think about Hercules too much, okay? I promise, we'll check up on him right after you came home from school."

Ivy nodded and kissed her mother, then greeted the bus driver and took her seat.

"Have a nice day at work, Paul."

"You too, Mrs. Jane."

Lisbon rolled her eyes and shook her head, walking away, all the while hearing the driver laugh before he drove away.

All throughout her day at work, she couldn't get the little big dog out of her head. She had to admit, her heart had broken when she had laid eyes on his still form in that deserted area. She shuddered with the thought that if Ivy hadn't been so adventurous, nobody might have found him in time, and he would have had to succumb to a slow, lonely death.

She really hoped that he would be okay. Maybe they could even find a perfect family for him to live with, somebody who could take care of him and love him. Heck, maybe they could take him in, if he were to recover. She didn't even know if Jane would want to have a dog, but then again, his reaction at finding Hercules did much to convince her.

Well. She would save it for later. She didn't even know if he would survive - she really hoped he would, if only for her family's sake. Neither Jane nor Ivy would be able to cope with the loss, even if they hardly knew the dog. But she couldn't lie that she wanted to see this dog pull through, too.

She came home earlier than usual, knowing exactly what the reason was, and wasn't surprised to find Jane on their living room couch, his eyes closed and his hands folded neatly on his belly. She couldn't stop herself from kissing his lips, knowing that he was anything but asleep.

"I've been thinking," he stated almost immediately, his eyes still closed.

"Thinking's good." His eyebrows twitched in what she could tell was amusement, but his lips stayed stiff for the moment. "If it's about Hercules… I think we're thinking the same thing."

His eyes opened and they focused on hers.

"I would have thought you wouldn't want that."

"But I do. But first, we have to pray that he'll recover. We can't be making plans for the future if our main participant is not going to…"

He sat up and brushed her cheek. "Let's not think like that. Let's stay positive. We'll see what this afternoon will bring us."

She nodded and made him lie down again, taking her place in his arms, her chest flush to his. She was sure she was programmed to fall asleep whenever she was here, feeling his calming heartbeat close to hers, his fingers tracing her arms and his lips against her forehead, for she suddenly felt so sleepy, she could just sleep for three days.

That was, until their daughter came home, too, and their little cabin housed the biggest tornado that would only barely keep the walls standing straight. It was obvious she had not forgotten about Hercules for a minute, as she basically jumped on top of them to get their attention - Jane was just in time to stop them both from being crushed by her enthusiasm, but he especially moved to protect Lisbon, even if it wasn't necessary.

"Okay, it's afternoon now, we can go check on Hercules!"

"You're right, but don't you want tea first?"

Ivy paused in her excited movements to think about that option, then pushed the curls out of her face that had fallen out of her 'do. "Okay, but I'll make it."

She didn't leave room for discussion, as she was out of the living room in a flash, and Lisbon looked at Jane briefly, before moving to get up.

"She's almost seven now," he whispered, "you know she can manage putting some water in a kettle."

"But she can be as clumsy as me. I don't want her to get burned because she merely wanted to be sweet."

He let her go, yet she wouldn't leave his arms without a parting kiss. She assisted Ivy in the kitchen, even if Lisbon knew she didn't need much assisting.

"Mummy? What if Hercules dies?"

This question startled Lisbon, because she would have assumed that Ivy had looked on the bright side, on saving an animal in distress, nursing it to perfect health, but instead it appeared Ivy had looked at this very realistic prospect, too. She knew that life was no fairytale.

"Let's hope he won't."

"No, I know. But what if he does?"

"Well…" Lisbon put down whatever it was she was holding and turned to the girl. "Sometimes, no matter how hard it can be, it is better to let people go. And… the same applies for animals. You know, sometimes, people can be in so much pain, or they can be so lonely, that death… can be a blessing. And maybe that applies to Hercules, too."

Ivy came closer to Lisbon until they could hold each other's hands.

"I don't want him to die." She sighed, wistfully. "It's my fault."

"Hey. He's not dead yet." Lisbon made Ivy look up at her, and she saw fear in the girl's eyes, something she didn't see often, not during the day anyway. They sat down at the dining table. "Nothing of all this is your fault. I want you to understand that. You didn't put him there, if anything, you saved him. You can be very proud of yourself."

"Will you die some day, Mummy?"

Lisbon swallowed and brushed her girl's cheeks, making sure she was maintaining eye contact at all times. She had not expected this conversation to happen now, but she had known it would come one day, seeing as Ivy was very curious about everything around her. Perhaps it was a good thing that in the years she had lived, she had not come into contact with death often, not like this anyway. One day, however, Lisbon knew, that luck would change.

"Yes. And so will Daddy. But we'll make sure we will take a lo-o-o-ong time before that happens. We… I want to see you growing up and become the beautiful, powerful, smart woman I know you will be." She paused. "Everybody will die one day, but that doesn't mean we can't make the best out of our lives until that happens, right? So I don't want you to worry about the future, because that is still so far away. We can focus on the here and now, though. Right here, we're happy, aren't we?"

Ivy nodded, and Lisbon could swear that there were tears in her own eyes. She wasn't afraid of dying, but she was afraid of… them dying. Patrick and Ivy Jane. No matter if it would be decades from now, she did not know if she would ever be able to live without one of them. But she would live by these words she had just told Ivy - she should focus on the present, because she was happy here.

"Hey, cheer up. Let's bring daddy his tea."

Ivy couldn't say no to that.

Ivy had made the smart choice of bringing what little homework she had with her when they went to the vet, claiming that she could keep herself entertained that way, but she had finished it just before they exited the car. She was a diligent student, who always did what she was told, but not without stating her opinion about the task at hand.

The vets didn't even look a little bit sad or negative, which did a lot to all of their moods. Jane even explained a magic trick to the receptionist, but Lisbon knew it was to alleviate any anxiety he was feeling. He even sought out a small public kiss, which was something he rarely did except in their home. She knew it was because he wanted their love to stay theirs, not for it to be such a community trait. It didn't mean that he never kissed her in public - especially when they went on their special dates, he kissed her plenty. And anyway, in the privacy of their home, they could make it as steamy as they wanted, provided that their house wouldn't burn down or Ivy wouldn't get a first row view.

"Have I told you that I love you, Teresa Lisbon?"

"Yes." She smiled and brushed his cheek. "You've been telling me for the past seven years or so."

"Good. I just wanted you to know."

He was so sweet. She had gone years without knowing his love, just a small flame she hopelessly called 'friendship', but since getting together, not a day had passed in which he hadn't told her that he loved her.

Eventually, the practitioning vet came into the waiting room to have a word with them, yet when she called them into a private office to discuss the matter, Lisbon's heart skipped a beat. This didn't sound very good.

"We managed to save him, which is the main good news. It doesn't mean that things will be easy for him. We had to amputate one of his legs, and he's nearly blind in his right eye. But… with the right amount of love and support, I think he can make it. We will have to keep him here until he's able to cope with his renewed… body, but when he's recovered enough, we can start looking for a forever home."

It might not be them, Lisbon knew, but she also knew that this family would try its best to get him in the best possible home they could think of. They had seen him at his lowest, and they would protect him with everything they had.

Ivy knew that she should never have too high hopes and expectations, because this life wasn't really a fairytale, and you should be happy with what you were given, or what you had earned in some situations. So she knew that there was a chance that Hercules might still die, and she knew that even if he did survive, he might never be suitable to live with them, even if all three of them had already made up their minds about the subject.

Still, she was just a kid. She had picked up a book on dogs on her weekly trip to the library with her father, and she was already secretly imagining where Hercules' bed could be placed.

She asked to go to the vet on a regular basis, and of course they couldn't always give in, but it was impossible to deny a lot of her requests because she was the proud owner of the most successful puppy eye look of an entire generation. So, Lisbon came with her while Jane ran some errands, promising to have tea ready when they would come back.

It was no surprise to Lisbon that Hercules was starting to recognize Ivy, seeing as he was already standing on his feet the moment she stepped into the building. His tail was always wagging enthusiastically. It was as though he knew that it had been Ivy who had ultimately saved him, who had spotted him in that deserted part of their woods and who had gotten help, which had made it possible for him to still be alive.

"Hey, Boy," Lisbon whispered as she brushed the dog's head, careful not to make any injuries worse. For a second, it looked as though he smiled at her, his eyes the actual image of puppy eyes, as though he was asking her to take him with her. She sighed and closed her eyes, already hearing Ivy had gotten his attention and they both stepped away.

She couldn't leave him behind. Not just because her daughter had fallen in love with him, but because she had, and her husband, too. She felt it would be a promise that was broken if she would allow him to stay here, or with anyone else.

She walked to the receptionist whom she had grown to know as Suzy and being a sweet woman, despite her initial attitude the first time they had met.

"When Hercules has recovered enough… we would like to adopt him." She watched as Suzy let her words sink in, and she already reached behind her for some papers. "We have a lot of land where he could run around, we have a pond where ducks occasionally take a swim… and we love him. Already did the moment we brought him in, I suppose."

Suzy smiled and handed over a moderate sized pile of paper. "Mrs. Jane, to be honest we already thought you would come to this decision, but we didn't want to push you into it. Now, are you absolutely certain that you want to adopt him? A dog is more than just a funny companion, he needs proper care, he needs to be walked at least three times a day, and with his size, they can not be short walks. And you might need to be willing to return to us every once in awhile, both to let us catch up with the big goof, and to have him checked out."

Lisbon nodded, and took the papers. She saw from the corner of her eyes that Ivy was looking at her. When Lisbon looked to her side, she smiled brightly, and it appeared that that was enough explanation for Ivy.

"Thank you, Mummy," she stated, smiling from ear to ear. Lisbon shook her head.

"No. Thank you." After all, it had been Ivy who had found Hercules, and who had made them fall in love with him.

Three months later

She had already heard the first signs that a storm was coming, but she had seen it in Hercules, too. He had acted… distressed when she had taken him for his last walk that evening, as though he could sense that thunder was on its way, and she knew that he probably could, seeing as his hearing was way better than theirs.

The first bolt came, and her husband stirred in her arms. He had admitted he had never been such a good sleeper before, staying awake almost all night, only being able to sleep for a maximum of about an hour. Yet as they had gotten together, and they got to sleep in each other's arms, he was out like a light, sleeping a sound eight hours in a row without waking up once. It was her who spent nights looking at him, peacefully asleep, not bothered by a thing. She wasn't complaining, though - she really didn't need a lot of sleep, anyway.

She guessed that he would stay asleep, even if the storm passed right over their little cabin, so instead she kissed him, got out of bed and walked to Ivy's room. Lisbon knew that Ivy didn't like thunderstorms, even if the girl repeatedly told herself that there was nothing to be afraid of.

Surprisingly, the room was already opened, so Lisbon thought that perhaps the little girl had gone to the toilet to calm herself down. When she stepped into the room, however, she found Hercules standing beside the bed, his head close to Ivy, licking her hand to reassure her, as it was obvious that she was feeling the thunderstorm.

"Are you protecting her, Hercules?" Lisbon whispered, kneeling down beside the dog and brushing his head. He licked her arm instead, which was his way of greeting her, then returned to the task at hand. Was he not scared by the thunder? Or had he made it his personal mission to protect Ivy Jane for as much as he could, considering she had saved him that one day?

Lisbon liked to believe the last one, and seeing as Hercules was very protective over Ivy, she knew it was true.

"You're a good boy," she whispered, kissing the top of his head. "You keep watch over her."

He took that as permission to get into Ivy's bed, and Lisbon let him for this once, tucking him in just like she had Ivy, and they settled in next to each other, Ivy contently smiling in her sleep - despite the definite thunderstorm raging outside.


	5. Little Ivy and the Baby Sibling

**A/N: I really like this chapter, I don't know why. I'm not one for picking favorites in this story, but this one has got to be at the top somewhere. Be warned, some tears are shed, but not all of them are sad ones.**

 **Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.**

* * *

 _ **'Little Ivy and the Baby Sibling'**_

Lisbon knew Jane had been able to tell that something was quite off about her, but neither knew what the exact reason could be. She had joked about the fact that she could be pregnant, but she knew it was impossible, seeing as she was already approaching menopause. Really, it didn't matter - she had Ivy, and recently, Hercules had been added to their little family, too. Combined with her husband, she had the most perfect family she could ever think of having.

Everything changed, however, when she woke up one morning to feel extremely nauseous from seemingly nowhere, and she rushed towards the bathroom, hardly making it in time.

She soon felt hands pulling her hair back, then one hand brushing her back to comfort her, and it really did, showing her that she wasn't alone, that it was horrible but that it would be over soon. She even cried like a little girl, since she didn't know what was causing this, and she was getting increasingly worried.

She instantly brushed her teeth afterwards, all the while looking at Jane who was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, looking back at her.

"What if it's not a joke?" he asked her when she finished. She shook her head.

"I can't be pregnant, Jane. The doctor confirmed years ago that none of the eggs that are left could be… fertilized. It's not possible."

She crossed her arms, but eventually uncrossed them to brush her hair out of her face.

"This is morning sickness, though. That's all I'm saying." She looked into his eyes and could see hope there, and nothing less. They had both wanted another baby, but their doctor had ruled it out entirely. He hadn't called her infertile, but it came damn close to it.

"My last period was months ago."

"Which means that there's still a possibility of it happening." He got up and walked towards her, brushing her cheek, then kissing her lips. She knew she still probably tasted of puke, but it didn't stop him. "Think about that, huh? Another tiny baby, a brother or sister for Ivy…"

He kissed her again.

"Do you really think it's possible?" she asked him, all of her previous comments already forgotten. She would love to be pregnant again, but she didn't want to have false hope.

"Absolutely." He looked at her, thinking of what he should say, then lowered his hands to rest on her waist. "Why don't you take a nice, long bath while I go get the groceries. I'll pick up a pregnancy test, too. We'll be able to rule it out once and for all."

She nodded and kissed his lips one last time.  
"I really wish I am," she whispered, "I don't want you to mistake my disbelief for reluctance."

"I know. We have had too much bad luck in the past. You're just trying to be realistic."

"And you're trying to be positive."

He smiled and nodded. "Ain't that the truth."

~...~

Despite the horrible kickstart, it was still just a quiet Sunday morning, and she did appreciate the fact that she could take one of her calming baths, knowing Jane would take care of everyone and everything. She was honestly blessed with a husband this caring and sweet.

She let her hand slide over her belly from time to time, judging it to see if there were any signs of a new, growing baby in there. She still had a little baby fat leftover from when she had been pregnant of Ivy, despite her countless attempts to lose it, it had stubbornly stayed. She wore it with pride, however, because it reminded her of the beautiful baby she had birthed, many years ago.

She couldn't believe that she was still not put off by the idea that she might be pregnant. Could she still safely carry a baby for nine months? Or would a possible pregnancy just turn into a miscarriage?

Jane entered the bathroom when she was just about to get out, carrying a couple of tests and smiling, even though she could see that he was anxious, too.

She pointed to the counter where she had already prepared a bottle, and he set up the tests before helping her dry off and get dressed. She really didn't need help, but it allowed her to be close to him, which was an opportunity she could never pass up.

They sat down on the edge of the tub when she was done, both too nervous to check any of the tests.

"What if I am?"

"Then we'll have another baby."

"Yes, I know that. But… what could we offer a baby? We are already struggling to play with Ivy, due to our bodies just… slowly deteriorating. I guess. We can't climb trees or crouch down on the floor. I just… wish we could be more."

"But we can be kind and caring, compassionate, understanding. We don't have to be young and agile for that."

She smiled and rolled her eyes. He was right, of course. They had a dog, who could play pony for them, and the aunts and uncles could fill in with playing where Lisbon and Jane couldn't. And if this baby was true, then they had an amazing big sister in Ivy, who would undoubtedly do whatever she could to make them happy. She was such a sweet girl.

"Let's, uh… let's check," she whispered. "I want to know now."

He grabbed her hand. "I want you to know that no matter what result is on these tests, I will love you anyway. If it's negative, that's okay, we can go back to our perfect little life with our beautiful daughter and our handsome dog. If it's positive, I will support you the entire way. We both know it would be a tough pregnancy, perhaps it wouldn't even be meant to last… but I will be there, okay? No matter what happens, and I mean that."

"I know." She smiled. "I love you, too."

They looked at the result together, but even as she looked at the white sticks, she still couldn't fathom what it was that she was seeing. She heard Jane letting out his happiness, squeezing her hand, and only then did it sink in.

Five white sticks, all with the exact same definitive result - definitely pregnant. It was even more clear than the previous time, none of them showing a negative at all, at least one had been negative the last time. Her heart swelled with the knowledge that she was pregnant, yet there was also a tiny voice in her head which told her not to be too positive yet, considering it was them - their little wonder Ivy, and the fact that they had gotten together at long last, were about the only times that life had given them something good to work with.

"It's possible that I'm not pregnant," she whispered. "I've read it somewhere. Sometimes, antibodies interfere with the results, or it could pick up on some diseases…"

He brushed her cheek. "Alright. Then we'll go to the doctor's office."

"Now?" she asked him incredulously.

"Of course now. We want to know if you're pregnant or not, right?"

"Right." Yet deep down, she felt she was. Seeing the results had made her open up to her current body state, and it felt oddly similar to the first pregnancy.

~...~

It didn't really come as a surprise anymore when the doctor confirmed their suspicions - she was pregnant. She didn't hear anything else after that, looking down at her belly and allowing herself to hope and dream, even if the doctor had told her it would be a tough and risky pregnancy.

Somehow, she felt like this baby would make it. It was hers, after all, and Jane's - they had made it, they were still alive, so really, there was no other option, was there?

~...~

They had told Ivy, who had been elated but also a little confused and scared of the prospect of having a baby sibling. They had always told her that it would be nearly impossible for her to ever have a baby brother or sister. Yet she was mostly excited not to be alone anymore, even if they had Hercules, it would do her well to have an actual sibling.

~...~

So many things followed that should have made her decide to abort this pregnancy, to choose for their mental health instead of their general health. They would probably get hurt badly. Yet every time she let the bad words win over in her head, she saw her husband kissing her belly, love in his beautiful eyes, and his calm and loving hands on her skin, cherishing that baby there that was slowly growing.

Their baby would probably have autism, there was a big chance that they would have Down Syndrome, Lisbon would have to undergo a C-section very definitely since her uterus was not as young and strong as it used to be - but nothing mattered. She would love their baby with everything she had, like she loved Ivy, and Jane, no reservations, just unconditional love.

Ivy spent a lot of evenings with her head on her mother's belly, listening to the baby's heartbeat, and it did Lisbon so well that she could give this to her little girl, even if in a couple of years, Ivy would wish she never had a sibling.

"Could the baby die, mummy?"

"Of course it can. But the baby won't die, Ivy. I promise."

"It's just that I heard the doctor talk about it, to you and daddy… I'm scared, mummy."

Lisbon's heart broke. She knew Ivy wasn't stupid, actually anything but, and she was very observant, much like her father.

"Hey, little pea," Lisbon whispered, pulling the girl up so she could kiss her cheek. "Nothing bad is going to happen. I promise you that. You will be changing diapers in a couple of weeks and be grossed out by all the poo and pee."

Ivy chuckled but tears escaped her eyes. Lisbon could tell, however, that the girl was sufficiently reassured, as she settled into her mother's side with her hand on Lisbon's belly.

~...~

A couple of hours before she would give birth to their baby, the doctors warned her of everything that could be awaiting them. She would have to undergo a C-section, and she would have to recover for quite some while, but she knew it would all be worth it. The doctors kept saying that her child would probably have a disability, as though she cared, as though she would suddenly give up the pregnancy because her baby might be a special needs child. Although Down Syndrome had been ruled out, anything else was just a guess at this point.

"I'm so proud of you," Jane whispered before she was given anesthesia. "And I'm so happy that you're my wife. I'm so happy that we get to experience this one last time."

"Will you stay with me?" she whispered. She knew that in her birth plan she had very specifically said she wanted him to stay with Ivy, but now that the moment was here, she was getting a little scared, and she needed him with her. And anyway, how had she managed to put down in words that she didn't want him to experience the birth of their second child? She knew that hadn't been the intention, she simply wanted him to stay with Ivy so that she knew she was taken care of, but that is what it came down to. He should be here, to witness this.

"Of course I will." He kissed her lips, reassuring her to no end. He let her doctors know that he would be joining in the OR, and they prepped him.

He talked her through the entire thing, and even if she was excited to hold their baby, she was scared that something would go wrong during the surgery. Her doctor had explained her everything they were going to do but she had not paid attention, like she hardly ever did when something else more pressing was on her mind.

"I know it's all scary now," he whispered, and even through all the sounds around them, she heard him clearly, as though only he existed - and really, it wasn't far from the truth. It had been him and her, just them, for longer than they liked to admit. Even before getting together, it had been them against the world, even if they had never really spoken the words, it was just an instinct. "But we'll be able to hold our little baby when this is all over. Our little miracle. I never would have thought that we would be having another baby, Teresa, but here we are. You continue to amaze me."

"Patrick…"

"Don't focus on anything else but me right now, okay? Nothing else is important. If we just hold on, together, we'll be able to see our little wonder. Who knows who they will look like? I hope it's you, my dearest Teresa. Like our little Ivy, with all your features executed to perfection. And maybe our baby will be naughty, too, like Ivy can be, but that part she got from me." He was distracted for a couple of seconds. "Hey. You will feel a little pressure now, it will probably be a little uncomfortable. But just stay with me, okay? Just look at me."

And she did, looking at him dressed entirely in blue, everything covered from head to toe, and just like every day for the past couple of years, she fell in love with him so badly, she didn't know where to put it. Her love for him was so big, it sometimes burst open her heart, sending tears down her cheeks, and just like that, she had started crying, and he was there to keep her tears from dripping into her hair.

"I love you," she sobbed, and she wished she could brush his cheeks, that she could ruffle his hair the way he loved it, could wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him the way she had always wanted to do, the way she had done so many times since they had gotten together.

Just when he was about to answer her, she heard the telltale sound of a newborn's cry, and her entire world just lit up, just knowing that her baby was here, that they were crying, letting the rest of the world know that they were here, her little miracle, the little baby she had never expected she would ever have. Her eyes closed with absolute bliss.

"Teresa," she heard Jane whisper. She opened her eyes and instantly saw her little crying baby above her, obviously surprised and irritated with the fact that they were pulled from their comfortable place in her womb, but Lisbon knew they would make up for it, would snuggle with this little wonder so much in the years to come.

Jane kissed her cheek, brushing her tears away, and the baby was carried off to be weighed and cleaned. "He's got so much hair already."

She giggled, images of Ivy's unruly curls flashing before her mind's eye, then realized something else he had said. "He?"

"It's a boy. He's so beautiful, Teresa. He looks like you."

"Is he okay?"

Jane looked over his shoulder to judge the situation, then returned his gaze to her. "Ten fingers, ten toes, as pink as Ivy's ballet bag." Which was _pink_.

She smiled and another tear escaped her eye, which he instinctively brushed away.

"He looks smaller than Ivy, though."

The doctor confirmed that the little boy was a little underweight, but according to them, it was nothing to worry about, so Lisbon didn't. Jane was brisked away to cut the cord, help the doctors clean up their baby, and he returned with their newborn son in his hands, proudly showing him off to her, leaning him against her shoulder.

"Look at you," Lisbon whispered, and apparently she was still crying but she didn't even notice, only felt Jane's hands brush away her tears from time to time. "My little miracle."

She kissed his cheek, and watched as he instantly calmed down, keeping his eyes shut for the moment, but his crying ebbed away.

"Mrs. Jane," one of the doctors said after a while, not wanting to interrupt their moment but knowing there was more to do. Lisbon didn't look away from her boy but nodded instead, indicating she was listening.

"We can't see at this stage what he will grow like, but right now, everything seems to be perfect. His heartbeat is steady, all limbs are fully grown, and he seems to respond well to the world around him." The woman smiled, putting down her papers. "You can be proud of yourself, and of your little boy, of course."

Lisbon smiled and kissed the boy's head again.

"What's his name?"

And as though she had practiced it, the words fell out of her mouth, even more perfect now that she had finally seen what he looked like. "Benedict Cole Jane."

Benedict, of course, meaning 'blessed', because that's what they all were. Blessed to meet this little man, who was an honest miracle, a gift from God, rewarding her for her patience.

~...~

He grew much slower than usual, always two steps behind the rest of the kids, but everybody convinced her that it shouldn't be a reason to worry.

She loved him so much, and still on a daily basis she couldn't believe that he existed.

She heard small feet behind her as she was changing Ben's diaper, and she smiled, knowing exactly who was standing there.

"You want to help me, Ivy?"

"No."

Lisbon frowned and turned around. "No?"

Ivy loved to help her, loved to take care of her baby brother with her parents, like a live baby doll. So the fact she refused a direct opportunity to care for her little brother surprised Lisbon.

"I'm moving out."

"You're moving out? Why are you moving out?"

"Because you're so busy with Benny that I think it's better if you don't have to care for me."

Lisbon let the girl's words sink in, trying to decipher what it was that she needed, but it came to her quite quickly. She was feeling left out.

"Do you really feel like that?" Lisbon asked her, her voice soft, and she motioned for the girl to come closer. Only when she was sure that Ben was safe did she kneel down to Ivy's height. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I had no idea you felt left out."

"I understand though, mummy. Ben is a baby and I'm not. I can take care of myself."

"Where will you go?"

"Probably Uncle Kimball. I have really thought this through."

"I have no doubt about that." Lisbon brushed Ivy's hair, caressing her cheeks, then stood and grabbed Ivy's hand. "Do you think you could help me with Ben a little more before you move out?"

Ivy thought of that question, then nodded eventually. Lisbon let her step in front of her, using the steps they had purchased so she could reach her baby brother on the changing table. Lisbon kissed the top of her head, assisting her where possible.

She wouldn't talk her out of going to Kimball Cho's place. It wasn't the first time she decided that she wouldn't mind a sleepover with one of her aunts or uncles, yet this was the first time she talked like this - wanting to go away, because she felt like she didn't get enough attention, it seemed.

Had she actually given too little attention to her little girl? Had she spent too much time with Benedict? She didn't want to favor a child, and she thought she hadn't, but Ivy wouldn't feel like this if there wasn't a little bit of truth in it. When was the last time she had done something fun with Ivy?

"You're a very good big sister," Lisbon whispered in her ear. "Ben could be very proud with a sister like you."

She could tell, even from this perspective that Ivy was smiling. She kissed her brother's head when they finished.

"I think he's ready for a nap. Let's put him in his crib and have some tea together, okay?"

Ivy nodded, and in a few minutes, they sat on the couch together, snuggled up close.

"I want you to know," Lisbon started, nearly whispering, "that I love you very, very much. And just because you have a baby brother now who needs a lot of attention, it doesn't make me love you any less. If anything, I love you more, sweet Ivy. And so does daddy. You're such a big help. And I'm sorry if we gave you the impression that we didn't love you enough."

"I just don't understand why you would replace me like this."

"Replace you? No, Ivy, nobody could ever replace you, not even Ben. You're our little princess, remember? You're my first baby, and you'll always be my first baby. Nobody can take that away from you."

"Then why did you have _another_ baby?"

"Because we thought you might like a sibling. I know it feels like sharing… you were like Ben, too, a long time ago. You were also a small, cute little baby, needing just as much care and attention as Ben does, now. So you two aren't so different after all."

"But… I don't want to share you with anyone else."

Lisbon brushed her cheek. "You're already sharing me with daddy, aren't you? And Hercules."

"It's not the same, though."

"I know. But you're already doing so well. I'm certain that Ben will love you as his big sister. I know he already does."

They were quiet for a while, Lisbon brushing Ivy's stubborn curls. Her words were right - Ivy would always be her first baby, her only daughter, and she was so special to her, the little girl would probably never have any idea what it meant. Perhaps when she would have a child of her own, hopefully very far away in the future, would she understand what her words meant.

"How do babies love?" Ivy asked eventually. She had put her cup on the table in front of them, having finished her tea.

"Well… of course, they can't say that they love you. But it's the small things that can make you realize that they do. Like the fact that Ben smiles at you when you walk into the room. He recognizes you, because you care for him and he feels that. He doesn't shy away from you when you hug him, which I know you know he does with strangers. And he looks at you as though he is trying to say that he is proud of you, proud that you're his big sister."

Ivy looked up at her from her comfortable position against Lisbon's chest. "I'm proud, too."

"And you have all right to be. You're the best big sister he could ever wish for." Ivy smiled and sat up, giving Lisbon one of her infamous eskimo kisses, staring deeply into her eyes with those big, green eyes she had. Then, they hugged each other tightly.

"You can tell me when you feel left out," Lisbon whispered, holding her daughter close to her chest. "I can be so busy with Ben, and I know that you can take of yourself because you're a big girl… but I don't want you to feel like I don't love you. So every time you feel a little lonely, you can just come up to me for a big hug or a kiss. Okay?"

Ivy nodded.

"You want me to help you pack your bag so you can go to Uncle Kimball's?"

Ivy sat up, looking into her mother's eyes once again. Ivy's eyes were full of hope and excitement. "Can I still go?"

"Of course you can, Ivy. Just make sure to call him to check if it's okay with him."

Ivy nodded and jumped off Lisbon's lap, already happily skipping to the phone. Lisbon smiled, already glad that the girl's negative mood from before had been, well, neutralized. But it did make Lisbon think - she definitely had to do more fun stuff with Ivy, and include Jane as well. She was not getting all the attention that she definitely deserved.


	6. Little Ivy and the Tooth Fairy

**A/N: So sorry it took me so long to update this story. Here you go with the last chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.**

* * *

 _ **'Little Ivy and the Tooth Fairy'**_

Ivy had, at the age of eight, the unfortunate luck to still be in the possession of all of her baby teeth. All the other kids in her class had lost at least one, but no matter how many apples she ate and how many times she fumbled with her teeth, none of them came out. They stayed stubbornly in her healthy gums.

One day, Lisbon found Ivy sitting in the kitchen, and it took her a while to register what she was seeing - it was definitely her daughter, sitting on a dining chair, facing the door which lead to the bathroom.

"What are you doing, sweetie?"

Ivy raised her hand. "Shh."

Lisbon rolled her eyes and leaned against the kitchen counter, her curiosity piqued, wondering what kind of scene would unfold before her.

"Now, Daddy!" she yelled suddenly, and the once opened door was slammed shut. Ivy gasped, reaching for her mouth with her hands, and Lisbon instinctively grew worried - even if Jane was involved, because she knew that Jane wouldn't want any real pain to be bestowed upon their daughter. Yet when Lisbon tried to assess why the girl had a look of pain on her face, all negative emotions left, to be replaced by sheer happiness.

Jane choose that moment to barge through the door, heading straight for Ivy.

"So?"

"It came out!" She gave her father a high-five, and showed her mother what the two had been so excited about - her first extracted baby tooth, already opening her mouth to show the final result. Lisbon knew they weren't supposed to force the tooth out, but a quick inspection told her the entire tooth was out, including its root. Lisbon couldn't help but smile at the girl's obvious glee written on her face, even if she was feeling a little anxious herself to see so much blood.

"Now I will get money and I can hopefully finally buy those galactic Nike shoes I want!"

Nobody forced her to pay for her own shoes, but she had insisted on it, wanting to have something that she had paid for herself, so she could feel proud showing them off to her friends.

She ran to the sink without saying anything else, cleaned off her newly extracted tooth and rinsed her mouth, then ran to her bedroom.

Lisbon turned to Jane, who was smiling at her.

"She could have pulled out half of her tooth and we would be sitting at the dentist office right now."

He nodded and shrugged. "I took a risk, I admit. But it was only hanging loose with a couple of threads, so really, what was the worst that could happen? I looked at the situation and judged that the risks were basically non-existent."

She looked at him a little longer, not really angry with him, just wondering what had caused him to do such a thing, knowing that it might hurt their daughter. But, she should have known that he knew the entire situation from all angles, to rule out any possible damage being inflicted. He always knew what he was doing.

"Okay." His smile returned, after it having dropped when she nearly accused him of putting Ivy in direct danger. "How much is she short for those shoes?"

"Fifteen dollars, I believe."

"That's a lot to give as Tooth Fairy money."

He nodded, stepping towards her. "We could just give her the shoes."

"She will be very disappointed, seeing as she has been saving for them for months."

They heard that Benedict had started crying in the distance, and just before either of them moved to soothe him, Ivy walked past.

"I'll get this."

Lisbon looked back to Jane, who seemed to agree with her without her needing to utter any words.

"Or we could give the remaining money as a reward for being so good."

They both knew that this was something their humble little girl would accept, but just barely, after having stated a couple of times that 'it was not necessary' and 'I would have had the money in a month', but secretly she would be celebrating.


	7. Little Ben and the Chocolate Pudding

**A/N: Alright, this is the last chapter unfortunately! I don't have any inspiration to write more for this story, so I'll leave it at this, otherwise I might just ruin it because the ideas are far fetched. So without further ado, this is the last chapter! Also, have you noticed its title?**

 **Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.**

* * *

 _ **'Little Ben and the Chocolate Pudding'**_

Jane loved looking at his kids, no matter what they were doing - be it homework, drawing, or playing with Hercules. They could play so well together, all three of them, like they were meant to do this from the very beginning.

Both were excellent in studying, albeit it on their own level. Obviously, the one thing that was on Benedict's mind was learning how to read, how to count to ten - Ivy was busy perfecting her essay for her French class.

"Do you guys need any help?"

Ivy looked up, brushing some loose locks out of her face, then shook her head. Ben didn't even meet his eye, just kept looking at his paper.

"It's okay, Dad. Thank you."

"Okay." As Jane smiled at her, she smiled back, and refocused her attention to her paper.

"I would like chocolate pudding," Ben stated out of nowhere, very seriously, still not raising his head. It caused his sister to chuckle while she looked at him.

"You too, Ivy?"

She nodded. He got up, got two cups of chocolate pudding out of the fridge. He took off the lids for both of them and returned, putting one in front of each kid. Ivy pushed her chair away from the table a little, grateful for the short break. Ben was about to do the same, when he looked at the cup Jane had put in front of him.

"Can you open it, Daddy?"

Jane sat down beside him, looking at the cup, too.

"I just opened it, Benny," he said gently.

"No, you didn't. Look." He pointed to a little piece of paper lid that was stuck to the edge of the cup, and Jane already regretted leaving that little piece on.

"It's open, though."

Ben shook his head and looked at Jane, for the first time in minutes, even if Jane had specifically tried to get the boy's attention. It was obvious to Jane, as so many things were when his son was concerned, that this minute detail, something that might just be lost to any other human being, bothered Benedict.

Despite his short four years, he had quickly been diagnosed with OCD and high-functioning autism, something that Jane and Lisbon determined was not something that would hold them back from loving and supporting him, but it was hard sometimes to understand just how his mind worked. It required Jane to think outside the box, because so did Benedict, even if it wasn't on purpose.

It would have been so easy to just give in and take off the piece of paper. But Jane knew it would only feed the boy's compulsions, because it would show that it would have control over him. It was better to show him that not everything had to go according to plan, but things could still work out in the end. The only thing he could do was basically force Ben to face things like this head-on, nip it in the bud as it were, and be as gentle and caring about it as possible.

Jane picked up the cup and made the pudding move a little inside.

"Look, it's open."

"No, it's not, Daddy. You don't understand."

Jane moved the cup again, but put it down when he noticed Ben wouldn't accept this reality. In his eyes, the cup wasn't fully opened. Nothing would change that.

"You want me to take it off?"

Ben nodded.

"Will you be able to eat it if I don't take it off?"

Ben shook his head. "You _can_ take it off though. You can."

"It's completely opened, Ben. You could eat it, right now."

He shook his head, again, more furiously this time around. Jane tilted the cup and put his pinky finger inside.

"Look. It's opened."

Ben's eyes widened out of pure shock and disbelief. "Uh-uh! You can't- you didn't- you can't pick it out!"

"But I just did." Jane was about to move his finger up and lick off the pudding, but Ben pulled it down and licked it off, instead. It caused curious Ivy to chuckle, having completely forgotten her own pudding.

No matter how smart and sympathetic Ivy was - it was difficult for her to understand why her little brother acted the way he did sometimes. It often really were the minute things that got to him, and sometimes when they played together, he would have a meltdown. They scared her before, because he would just break down and cry, sometimes hit his toys or even her, but she learned quickly. She knew eventually that all he really needed was just a big hug, as long as he wasn't hurting her.

"But you see, I wouldn't have been able to put my pinky in if it wasn't opened." He allowed for some time for the boy to think about that, and Ben already pulled the cup closer, looking at it some more. "Now get your spoon and get it in there."

"I got it."

"I know, buddy. Let's just eat the pudding."

Ben put the spoon in, and something told Jane that this conversation was not finished yet.

"Not yet. Not until I get this off." He once again pointed to the piece of paper.

"But it's opened, Ben. There's nothing there." He put his hand over the side of the cup where the paper was, hiding it from view. "Look. The pudding is in the middle, right there. The paper is just sitting there. It will not stop you from eating your pudding."

Ben looked up, doubt visible in his clear green eyes, then returned his gaze to the pudding at hand.

"Okay. I will eat it. But can I please open it all the way?"

Jane took a few moments to take in a deep breath. It was a fulltime job to take care of Benedict, but it was definitely worth it. He was the most amazing little boy Jane had ever met, and he wouldn't give up any of it. The fact that he had autism only made him _him_ \- Benedict Jane, so unique in his own way.

"Nope. Not going to happen."

"I will, though."

"We're trying not to do that." Ben shook his head, probably in agreement. "We opened the pudding, it's open, you can put your spoon in it, so we can eat the pudding. That little piece of paper is not going to control your whole life."

"It's going to control my whole life."

"No it's not."

"Yes."  
"It's really not. It's insignificant. We could be eating the pudding instead."

Ben had already started eating the pudding a few seconds ago, but he was trying to drive his point home, even though Jane wasn't sure what point that was.

"Don't think about it."

Ben nodded. "Don't think about it, Daddy."

"Exactly." He brushed the boy's head, the crisis having been averted, and he couldn't help but kiss the top of his head. "I'm proud of you, Ben, for not letting Mr. Bossy control you."

Mr. Bossy being the name they had given his OCD, so he could talk about it, give it a name and place, and not let it be an uncontrollable force pulling on him.

"It's good chocolate pudding."

That made Jane smile, and Ivy, too. He really was a sweet and funny boy. He just reacted more strongly when things didn't go exactly how he had planned beforehand, or when he was surrounded by too many sounds and movements at the same time. Jane hoped that he could help the little boy to cope with this, so that his future would not be filled with autism-related topics, stuck in his own mind, but rather focused on whatever he wants to have it filled with. Whatever Ben would set his mind to, he could perfect it, Jane knew.

~...~

She considered herself far from perfect, like she knew all other girls her age did. But even though she had many, many flaws, she had some good things going for her, too. Like the fact that she was quite smart, at least compared to her peers - she was a straight A student, she took three different language courses and was enrolled in an advanced algebra class.

She would love to say that she could be a brat, too, and she probably was, but she knew all of her whining was insignificant compared to her brother's actual needs. She would never admit it to her parents, because she knew that they wouldn't like hearing that she felt like she was put in the background, but she didn't mind. She knew the attention and time that he needed, and what would happen if he didn't get that, so she would do anything to let him have that.

She had sweet friends whom she'd known for ages, they had made sure they could go to the same school so that they wouldn't be separated. She was so grateful to have them, she felt like she could tell them anything. Even though she believed that she had never told them about her autistic brother, but it had never really been brought up.

"Did you see Tifanny during recess yesterday? She was being so weird, like, I think she might totally be autistic."

The girls laughed and nodded, agreeing. Ivy took in a deep breath and looked around at the other students in the canteen. She was not going to point out how hurtful their comment could be for both sides, because she felt like it was just their ignorance talking. They didn't know what they were talking about.

"Ives," someone said, getting her attention. "Why are you so quiet?"

She thought of her parents, who despite the fact that her brother took up so much of their time, still loved him so dearly she could only respect them for it. Not only her brother, but she herself was also deeply loved, and she knew that. She knew her parents wouldn't want her to talk badly to someone, especially not her friends, but she had to defend her brother's honor, and definitely because he wasn't here to defend himself. It wasn't like they had personally offended him, but they used his disability basically as a swear word.

"My baby brother has autism," she stated, matter-of-factly. She didn't look them in the eye, just kept looking around her. She could see, however, from the corner of her eyes that her friends were startled. "His brain is wired differently. He needs help to deal with the outside world, because it overloads his brain. He has trouble communicating with people he doesn't know, because he simply doesn't understand how most people work. But he's wicked smart. Sometimes, I can't even keep up with his thought process, and he's only four."

She sighed and faced them, for the first time since she had started her monologue.

"What I'm trying to say, is that there is literally nothing wrong with being autistic. So you using autism as a thing people should be ashamed of, is quite honestly stupid."

She continued eating her lunch without saying anything more, because the faces her friends made were enough reward - they were priceless. The best thing was that a little later, their curiosity won from their initial surprise and shock, and they asked her multiple questions about her brother, autism and everything related to the two. She saw that as a win-win situation.

* * *

 **A/N: I really liked writing this story, and I hope you liked reading it as much! I would really appreciate it if you took the time to let me know what your thoughts were, and if you any ideas for more chapters, feel free to let me know, too. Thanks for reading!**


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